Ohio State quarterback Will Howard (18) throws a pass during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against Penn State, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)

AP Photo | Barry Reeger

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — With its collective back up against the wall and a season teetering on falling well short of its own lofty goals, No. 4 Ohio State delivered its best performance of the season in a 20-13 win over No. 3 Penn State on Saturday in front of the largest crowd in Beaver Stadium history.

After a goal line stand turned away Penn State’s potential game-tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter, the Ohio State offense took possession at its own 1 and proceeded to drain the final five minutes off the clock behind an offensive line that included starting left guard Donovan Jackson getting the nod at left tackle and former center Carson Hinzman starting at guard in his first significant playing time of the season.

Quarterback Will Howard’s 7-yard keeper on 3rd and 3 at the Penn State 47 gave the Buckeyes one last first down with under a minute to play. With Penn State out of timeouts, Howard’s kneel sent an elated visiting sideline spilling onto the field following the emotional win.

“We willed that game” Howard said of the win. “We talked about it earlier in the week and said we’re going to have to will ourselves to be able to win this game. Like, there’s no way we’re going to be able to lose. And that was the way we played, man. The defense stepped up with two huge stops right on the goal line that changed the game. And then the o-line, for all the stuff they took throughout the week and all the flack they were getting, for them to step up the way they did and run the ball and keep the ball in our hands, that was unbelievable, man.”

Howard, a Downington, Pennsylvania native, tossed two touchdowns on the day but also threw a pick-six and lost a fumble in the end zone in an uneven performance he called his worst performance of the year. It wasn’t all bad, however, as he threw for 182 yards and completed 67% of his passes while also adding timely runs in the fourth quarter to help put the game away.

“I can’t give enough credit to my teammates,” Howard said. “They bailed me out, and winning a game like that, in my home state, is unbelievable.”

Running back Quinshon Judkins had 14 carries for 95 yards, including 32 on the final drive of the game as the Ohio State offense picked up four first downs to erase the final five minutes off the clock. As a team, Ohio State compiled 176 rushing yards against a Penn State defense that ranked eighth in the country in rushing yards allowed per game at just 93 yards per contest.

“Everybody regrouped and saw what we could fix from last week with all the mistakes we made. I think we did a good job of it,” Judkins said of the offense.

Penn State (7-1) was held to 270 total yards and just six points offensively, while coming away with zero points in two possessions ending inside the Ohio State 5.

Sophomore quarterback Drew Allar, who was questionable to play following a knee injury last week, was largely ineffective on the day as Penn State struggled to find any success in the deep passing game. Allar completed 12 of his 20 attempts for 146 yards an no touchdowns.

“We felt like we had a lot more to give, and we stepped up,” senior defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau said of the Buckeye defensive effort. “I’m proud of my brothers on both side of the ball. We all did our job and did what we needed to do.”

Penn State started the scoring on its opening drive of the game, marching 61 yards on 14 plays to set up Ryan Barker’s 29-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

Looking to answer on its first drive, the Ohio State offense instead sent a charge throughout a jam-packed Beaver Stadium on the game’s first significant momentum swing.

Facing 3rd and 5 from his own 30, Howard’s telegraphed pass to Jeremiah Smith was intercepted by Zion Tracy, who had only green grass in front of him as he raced to the end zone for the pick-six. Barker’s extra point punctuated the touchdown, putting Ohio State in a 10-0 hole after just three offensive plays.

In desperate need of a drive to stop the bleeding, Howard and the Buckeyes shook off the early disaster and delivered a big answer. Judkins’ 22-yard run moved Ohio State to the Penn State 30, and two plays later, Howard’s play-action fake freed up Emeka Egbuka for a wide-open, 25-yard touchdown catch to cut Penn State’s lead to 10-7 in the closing moments of the first quarter.

After the Ohio State defense forced a three-and-out on the ensuing possession, Howard and the Buckeye offense got right back to work to take its first lead of the day. Howard’s 21-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Inniss capped a 10-play, 81-yard drive to give the Buckeyes a 14-10 lead they would never relinquish.

“If I could go back and change it, see it’s zone, and not throw it, I would. But it’s about how you respond,” Howard said of his quick bounceback following the costly interception.

Ohio State was on the verge of adding to its lead and putting Penn State on the ropes on its next offensive possession after taking over near midfield, but another Howard turnover again breathed life into the Beaver Stadium crowd. With a first down at the Penn State 13, Howard took the snap and kept the ball on a sweep around the left side with plenty of space in front of him.

Howard was able to turn the corner and appeared destined for the end zone before Penn State’s Zakee Wheatly met Howard at the 2 and punched the ball free. After bouncing off Howard, the ball rolled out of the end zone for a touchback, turning Ohio State away from taking a two-score lead.

While Ohio State failed to extend its lead before the break, Penn State appeared poised to head into halftime with a lead after a 14-yard Allar scramble and 21-yard completion from Allar to Harrison Wallace had the Lions on the doorstep at the Ohio State 3 with 15 seconds left in the half.

On the next play, Allar threw a pass toward the back of the end zone that was intended for Wallace. Cornerback Davison Igbinosun, who was initially beat on the play, recovered as Wallace failed to make a clean catch in the end zone. With the ball being bobbled between the two bodies, it was Igbinosun who ultimately came away with the catch while keeping a foot in bounds.

After some initial confusion on the field, the officiating crew announced the call as the Ohio State defense celebrated in front of a stunned crowd as a wild first half came to an end.

Ohio State added to its lead on the opening possession of the second half after Jayden Fielding connected on a 46-yard field goal to move the score to 17-10.

Barker’s second field goal of the day, this time from 44 yards, momentarily brought Penn State back to within four points late in the third quarter, but Fielding added his second kick of the day to increase the Ohio State lead to 20-13 as the game clock approached the 10-minute mark of the fourth quarter.

Penn State had one more push in it, forcing the Ohio State defense all the way back to the its own goal line as the Lions moved within two yards of leveling the score following tight end Tyler Warren’s 33-yard rush to the Ohio State 3.

Warren’s explosive play had the home faithful ready to erupt, but the Ohio State defense had other ideas, setting off a game-defining sequence that would be played out in the trenches.

Three consecutive runs by Penn State running back Kaytron Allen netted just two yards for Penn State, bringing up a fourth down attempt at the Ohio State 1. With the Penn State offensive line failing to get a push against Ohio State’s front seven on the previous three plays, Lions offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki elected to throw the ball on fourth down.

Allar’s pass fell harmlessly to the Beaver Stadium turf, however, as the Ohio State defense finished off the goal line stand and gave the ball back to it offense for the final drive of the game.

Still backed to his own goal line, Howard’s sneak on first down moved the ball to the Ohio State 5, giving the Buckeyes some breathing room as the clock ticked below five minutes. Following the sneak, four consecutive runs by Ohio State netted 36 yards and two first downs as it became increasingly clear the Buckeyes were heading for the win.

“To finish that drive, I think is just going to springboard our physicality and toughness as we head into the back half of the season,” Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said. “These guys want it. One of the things we talked about this week is that in life, you’re gonna have these opportunities when you have to go will yourself to win and go take something, find a way to get that thing done … Our guys did that today, and I’m really happy for this team, happy for the seniors, and I think this is going to springboard us moving forward.”

With the win, Ohio State runs its active winning streak over Penn State to eight games while Lions head coach James Franklin falls to 1-10 against the Buckeyes and 1-9 against top-five opponents.

Reach Dillon Davis at 740-413-0904. Follow him on X @DillonDavis56.